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Hey, what's going on?

Dr. Ben Adkins here and today we're going to talk about why you must be building a platform

for your business and why that platform should include email marketing and building an email

list.

All right, let's do it.

All right, so what is a platform and why should you be building one for your business?

Well, I want you to think about life like this.

It's 1980, let's say, or 1990, somewhere around there and you just released a book and you

went the traditional route.

You have a publisher.

The book is absolutely amazing and it gets out there and it hits the New York Times best

seller list.

Meaning you're selling the crap out of this thing.

And yes, things are going good.

It's great and tons of people are buying your book.

You're making a little bit of money and that's nice.

And then you're like, oh man, this is awesome.

I want to release my next book, but lo and behold, your publisher somehow makes some

bad decisions and they go out of business.

And so you now have no one else that's a publisher.

Now maybe you could go put together a book deal with someone else because your book was

a New York Times best seller, but this is the problem.

You're popular now and you still have to depend on someone else to get you out there and to

put money behind you.

Otherwise you're in trouble.

Well, that wouldn't happen if you had done some work on your own.

Let's say in that book.

Instead of being 1980, 1990, it's 2010, 2020, somewhere in that range, right?

Somewhere within those years.

And for everybody that picks up your book, you had a place where they can go get more

info from you by putting in their email address and now you've got a platform.

Let's say also maybe perhaps you'd sent them to your Facebook page.

You had an Instagram account and you'd had them like that.

Now you have a platform.

You have a place that without anybody else interfering, without anybody else getting

in your way, you could click a button and send an email out to hundreds of thousands

of people that loved your first book, or if you don't have a book, loved whatever you've

put out in the past.

Let's say that you had a social media platform that you could click a button and post something

and let people know.

This is the key.

Far many businesses out there right now are in this position.

They are so dependent on getting customers by spending money.

Now the first time that you get customers, you've got to spend money on advertising and

marketing.

That's cool, but that advertising and marketing better not be laid out just to get those customers

in the door the first time.

It better be set up to where when they come through the door the first time you've got

information, you've got things built up.

That is a platform, something that you can stand on.

So this is the key.

When you're putting your hard earned dollars out to promote whatever you're doing with

marketing, with Facebook ads, with newspaper, with radio, whatever it happens to be, make

sure somewhere in that mix, it's not just about getting a new customer, it's also about

building a platform that you can stand on.

So let's talk about this.

Let's talk about what you need to be doing and why this is so stinking important.

You need to always have an email list.

You need to always be getting good email addresses from your folks because there is nothing cheaper

and nothing more effective out there numbers wise than having your existing customers come

out on a list and sending something out the next time.

So every time someone buys something from you, you need to get their email address,

at the very least because odds are they liked what you put out.

And if they did, when you send that email that you're putting something else out, the

next thing they're going to be able to jump in on that.

So let's talk strategy here real quick because this is super duper important.

And this is the reason I have a backpack based business is somehow I did this and it was

one of those things that I look back now and didn't realize what I was doing.

Didn't realize I was building a platform on email marketing and social media.

But now I'm so glad that I have it and I understand why it works so well.

This was my strategy.

This is what your strategy should be.

Every time you release a product you should be getting an email address and that should

go with, of course you're getting paid at least a little bit.

So here's what I want you to sort of do.

I want you to think about this.

What is your release schedule?

What is your release schedule and how are, with whatever products you're putting out,

with whatever marketing you're doing, because marketing usually comes with the release schedule

of products and services, how are you using that release schedule to also put people on

an email list or to get them to like a social media page that you happen to have out there?

So this is how I do it.

Every time I release a product, I either do a little bit of a prelaunch where people that

are interested can put their email address into a box.

Or every time I put out something I am making sure that I hit my previous customers up.

Now maybe you're sitting there saying man, I'm starting from scratch.

I don't have any emails.

So this is what you do.

Put out a Facebook ad that is talking about this thing that you are about to put up for

sale or that you already have for sale.

Point that Facebook ad at that.

Now this Facebook ad should be targeted specifically to the audience that you're after.

So if you've written a book, for instance, that says hey, I'm trying to targets women

that are pregnant right now so that they can get ready for their baby, these are the tips

that they need to be following, then you need to be targeting those folks on Facebook.

So those folks, every time they buy your $7 book or your $20 book, whatever that happens,

you need to be getting an email address.

So this is what comes down the line is after they purchased that first book, you've now

got them on a list, so maybe you build up 100, 200 or maybe it's 100,000, 200,000 people

on that email list that bought your first thing.

The next time that you put something out, you won't have to go spend as much money on

the Facebook part or the radio or the TV or whatever because now you have that built in

group of people that loved your first thing, bought your first thing and you can send something

out to them.

So send out the email to the folks that already bought.

And then hey, they probably liked your social media, your Facebook, your Instagram profiles

too because they loved your stuff.

Make sure you go and post there.

And so instead of spending that first time, you're now leveraging the platform that you

built with that initial ad spend.

So here's the strategy.

Get consistent with your releases.

When I first started, I was releasing a tiny little mini products, something that you paid

$3 to $7 for it.

I did it for every two weeks.

So every two weeks I was releasing a new product.

You're going to see people like James Patterson out there who's a highly successful author.

He's prolific.

Every time he releases something, he has another chance of bringing people into his world and

really they'll fall in love.

And then if they fall in love with the thing that you just released and they get on that

list, well they're probably going to look for your other stuff too.

But now your next release, you've got a way to contact them.

And that is the absolute key to building this platform successfully, is always putting stuff

out.

Even if it's a small something and doing it right.

Now the shirt, you may realize it's the Foo Fighters.

The Foo Fighters are one of my favorite bands out there and one of the reasons that they're

so great is consistently every few years they put out an album with at least one amazing

hit single on it.

A lot of good music, but there's always something that's at least a little bit radio friendly.

And every time they do that, they bring in new people and new people.

If you go look at what the Foo Fighters do on social media, if you go look at what the

Foo Fighters do on their websites, they're building a list.

So they're building a customer base.

They're also building up those social media profiles and that's powered by their new launches

and new release.

So they build their platform every time they release a new song.

So what's so cool is maybe every so often the Foo Fighters, James Patterson, me have

something that's a big hit that really breaks through and that really drives things.

But the key is is you're not going to hit it every single time.

Not everything that I released is great.

Not everything that Foo Fighters released is great.

It's not everything that James Patterson put out is great.

Now maybe it's all great, but it's not the thing that connects with a huge audience.

But if you're consistent, you're going to hit eventually.

And that's the reason that I always tell people, focus hard on being consistent with your releases.

Now, what is all this about?

Let's review.

First things first, you need to set up a way to get people's email addresses, whether it's

them buying from you or they put in their email address to get something for free.

You need to have at least a Facebook and an Instagram profile where people can come, get

a different look at your life.

And every time that you put out a new product, every time you release a new service or a

product into the world, you need to be leveraging that.

That's news.

That's something that is an excuse to get excited about, to run ads, to be on the radio,

to be on TV.

Every time you release one of these things, make sure you give people a way to get to

your Facebook, get to your Instagram and to get on your email list.

And that's how this starts to stack over time.

And that's how zero people on your list, your email list that you can contact anytime you've

got a product, that's how it slowly grows with a little bit of spend every time, slowly

grows into something that is hundreds of thousands of people that you can rock out.

So new fans to come in with everything you drop, give them a place to go hang out where

they can instantly hear from you and you are not depending on that publisher like we had

an our New York Times best seller example.

All right, so I hope you love this.

If you did, do me a favor, click the subscribe button and always hit that little notification

bell.

That's a big deal because that's going to let you know every time we release something.

Also, got a comment?

Post it below.

I'd love to hear what you think.

I'd love to hear about your platform.

What's your website?

What are your links?

Post them below.

I'd love to go check them out.

All right.

I hope you enjoyed this.

I've got tons of good stuff coming your way that's going to continue on this concept and

even more cool online marketing stuff.

I will see you on the next video.

For more infomation >> Are you Building a Platform for your Business in 2019? (do this) - Duration: 9:38.

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How To Build A Sales Team - Duration: 14:16.

Thanks for tuning in. In this video, we're going to talk about how to build team

culture, how to build an awesome team culture. And we're all about culture here

at national business capital. As you can see, we've got the office decorated. Got

holiday decorations out. We've got stuff up on the walls and we're always having

fun. We're trying to keep the fun in funding. So, this is just one of the fun

cool things that we do here in the office. When we complete a transaction

for one of the clients, the team gets a chance to shoot it at the... Shoot

something at the dartboard on the wall. Those points head up to the end of the

month and then someone wins a prize. So, just something fun that we do. Nice.

I believe the number one factor in a company success and their growth is

culture. Culture has been something that's been amazing in our company and

I think creates an awesome work environment. I think it makes people

happy and I think from that, it makes us even more productive as a company

because everyone's coming to work and happy to be here. I'm going to share

probably got 5 or 6 tips that have really helped... Some really good things

that have helped shape and mold our culture over the years. It's taken years

to have an awesome and amazing culture. But once you really know it and once you

get it, they could do wonders for your company as well too. So, at my company, we

have a culture team and these folks are on the on the culture team. This is

Kayla. And this is Jill. Jill is actually our cultural leader. Last year Kayla was

our cultural leader. And basically, how many people would you say are on the

culture team now, guys? -11. -11 people. wow. It's really it's creeping up

there, that's awesome. So, we have 11 people currently on a culture team and

that culture team is made up of... iI's all different really people across the

organization in a number of different departments and in each department

across the company they'll have 1 to 2 culture participants. We're going to call them

culture mates. So, one that... You know, each department has one through culture mates.

And really, you know, I guess what would you say... You know, what's the job of the

culture team? -I would say the job of the culture team is to keep the morale up in

the office. Get everyone involved in not only activities in house but outside in

the community. To help plan different events of someone having a birthday. So

everyone knows like, "Oh, so-and-so's birthday. You know, let's decorate their

desk or have a mixer. So, all the new people that get hired get to meet

everyone and learn a little bit about the culture learn a little bit about the

company and kind of get like a head start at joining our team." -Awesome. You

know, it's funny that the mixer... You know, the mixtures that we do... Like how

great is that been for the new people coming into the, you know, into our

company that really just don't know anyone. I've seen that just do wonders. I

think for new people and getting them to... You know we have so many departments now

in the company that you come in. there's almost a hundred, you know, 100 people or

so. You don't really get to interact with

people in other departments. So, it's really been a way for people to interact

across departments and anything you guys want to add to that? So Jill, how do you

think culture drives performance? -I think it's one of the biggest factors in us

being able to do what we do. Coming in to work every day definitely gets

repetitive sometimes. It's nice to be able to have a culture team that can

make things a little bit exciting. I didn't even know when I started working

here how much culture meant to me as an employee. And that's one of the things

that like drives me every day and keeps me happy at my job, is knowing that I can

come in and there's people that, you know, I can talk to if I'm having a problem or

you know, when you first start, just somebody a friendly face to say hi to

when you don't know anybody. You get introduced to every single manager which

is nice. -Alright. So, how do you think culture drives performance? -I think that

culture is one of the things that pushes us more to get where we need to be here.

Every day just coming in and knowing that I am going to be happy doing my job.

You know and seeing all of these great people that I work with. I think it

drives me to be a better worker especially with our wow card system. A

really great thing to be able to give somebody a Wow card for something that

they have done that somebody in a different department might not be able

to see on a day-to-day basis. Having the Wow cards go off on the TVs

is a great way for everybody to know, "hey, Kayla did such a good job in

marketing today. This is what she did in case you didn't know." And everybody can

like congratulate you and knows what you did. But you don't find in a lot of

places either. I think it's just really great that everybody knows what you're

doing and how well you're doing it. And it pushes me to work harder that way

because I you know that I'm doing a good job. -Yes.

So, you you brought up Wow card. You know, explain, you know, what a Wow card

is because I'm sure people watching this right now like, "what the heck is a

Wow card?" -All the culture leaders and managers at this point, all have stacks

of these cards in our drawers that have point values on them. And anytime

somebody sees you going above and beyond or working really hard or doing

something that you didn't necessarily have to do, we are going out of your way

to do it, they can give you a WoW card. Anybody could give it to you. You go to a

culture leader, you go to a manager and you write your message on the Wow card

of what that person did and your thank you for... -That's awesome. So a nice

recognition? -Yes. -And then that... So, the Wow cards too. Which is really cool is

those add up for the month and then monthly... Now, we've been switching up like

what we're doing but now we're doing a raffle. -So, once a quarter... Every quarter,

we're going to get all the points end up so the Wow cards are rated 5, 10 or 20

points. And we're going to add up all the points and then there's going to be a big

raffle for I like, they're pretty decent... -Yeah. So we just started to switch. We're

doing a monthly, now we're doing actually quarterly because we made a decision to

make the prizes Wow! Now, we got Wow prizes. That's awesome,

that should be really cool and really excited to see what what prize we do for

the next quarter. You're going to do something cool like an Apple watch or an

iPad or you know, maybe like a trip into the city or something like that. But we

have some cool stuff in store. So, great stuff. Awesome guys.

How many hours a month would you say you guys spend, you know, on the culture

department? -I think that it's really hard to allocate how much time is spent on

the culture a month. Because I think it's something that's we're done every day.

Not with just me and Jill but the whole culture team and people who see us doing

like different things for the department. Who want to be a part of the

culture team but aren't like necessarily like a culture mate. So, I think

it's hard to say like, "Oh, we do like 10 hours a week." -Yeah, yeah. -It's like, always

like, "Oh, you know, so-and-so." This happens, they

like a rough day yesterday. Let's try to cheer them up for. You know, this client

just had surgery, let's send them something like... Culture doesn't just

have to be within how something that like me and Jill we're like, "Oh, we're going to

do a fundraiser for this." It's like, "Oh, you know? What we should do something for

make-a-wish or something for feeding America."

-That's great. -Things like it's hard to allocate time to something when it's

kind of always in the back of our minds. That's how can we be better. -I think

that's actually a really cool answer and important to take note of guys. Because I

basically, what you're saying is, it's just a daily thing and it's just

it's a part of the culture, right? And we just do it and there's 11 people.

Besides the 11 people on the team, everyone's really participating in doing

good. Not just here in the organization but to the customers and going above and

beyond for them. And I think that's probably the biggest things we've

focused on is what what more can we do for our customers. And that's really

great. So Kayla and Jill, what do you think some of the positive impacts that

the culture teams had, you know, here within our company with an organization

in the business? I think that one of the major impacts that the culture teams had

on the company is that we've built a family within a company. Which I don't

think really happens especially in a financing industry because everything's

like go-go-go. -Yeah. -And like that kind of like brought

it back like, "Oh, no. Like we can still go, go, go. But we're going to go together." -Got it.

-And I think that's something really special that we have here. So, it's

awesome teamwork wise. And everyone kind of working as a team not against each

other. -Exactly. Like it's like, "Oh, someone's struggling? You know what? Let

me help them. Like, let me see how I could show them how I do something and maybe

that will make them think, oh I could do it that way too." It's not just

necessarily like going like, "Oh, here's the Wow card." Like, "Oh, I see that you

need help, let me help you." -Got it. -I think that's really special.

Yeah. And everyone giving each other support. -Yeah. -Very cool. And what else?

What do you think, Jill? -Let's piggyback off what Kayla said with us all being a

big family here. It is very much that... Just a big work

family. I think it kind of like weeds out all the people that don't have that same

view within our company. -Not sharing the values and the mission and the

vision. -You could learn, you know, is with the team values. -Which is important to us.

So, it's been wild for me to see, you know, you know as as an owner

how it's become like self filtering. And you know, sometimes people are great in

the interview and slip through. And we do a pretty good job on the interview side

and really look to bringing the right people into the company. But sometimes,

people are different once they get started.

And I think it's been pretty wild to see how you know, how the culture and the

organization is self filtering people out with. And it's almost screaming where

to us where you're more like a manager or, you know, a partner would have had to

get involved, you know, to speak up that something like that. I think that's

just happening on its own now. Which is really wild. You know, what advice

would you have for any business owner across the country that might be trying

to build culture from scratch or just getting started, you know, with this

process? What advice would you give to them with starting this? -I would give the

business owner... I would tell them, you know, "Really sit with your team and set

the values together. So, everyone's in alignment and agreement. And you hear

everyone's voices because I think that's really important to let everyone have a

little bit of a voice." -That's a good one. -In the mission. -And we did that. -We did.

-Yeah. -And I think that because we did that as a team, it that's why the

foundation was so strong. -Yeah, I agree with that. Awesome. And Jill,

what do you think? -I feel like really getting to know your team in your employ

it's a very huge aspect of what makes us such a great team. Especially you and James

getting to know all of us and what gets to motivate our team to do such a great

job. And what makes a happy environment for us. I think is what makes our culture

work so much. -That's awesome and that's great to hear. And thank you

for that. And you know, you bring up a good point, Jill. I think it's important

that you, you know, as an owner or a leader, you participate in the culture

too. Like when we're doing stuff here. We're involved. It's not like you guys

are doing it and you know we're wearing exception to the rule. We're involved in

it and participating as well. Whether it's handing out Wow cards or

participating in something that's fun or you know whether it's a holiday dress-up

or ugly sweater party. Or you know... Or community stuff. You know, this past

Thanksgiving we did the, you know, delivered the Thanksgiving in a boxes.

And you know, it's really cool and important that as an owner, you're in it

as well too. It's not just something that you create and get to stand out of.

Cool. And anything else that you guys want to add on that? Anyone looking to

get, you know, culture started from from scratch? -Yeah, well I think what is

really important is like James and Joe, you know, there's the president and CEO

of our company and normally wouldn't have like a relationship where it would

be able to talk to Joe on a daily basis and bring an idea for a culture event.

But he's so involved with the culture and James is involved with the culture. I

think that helps, you know, build the culture up even more that James and Joe

are so involved and they're at like the Thanksgiving baskets or we bring our IDs

and then go, "Here, let's agree to it. Let's get this started." I don't think like most

companies have that. So, even if you can't like make time for all the events,

definitely, like try to pick like a handful of 3. That mean the most

of your employees. So, that you make sure you make an effort to be part of

the culture. I think that's really important. -So, we believe that your

company culture will probably be one of the most predictors of your success.

We're all about hiring slowly and ensuring that we're bringing the right

people into our company, into our culture. You know, I have a saying, "If I can't hang

out with you at a barbecue then you probably can't work here." And it sounds

silly but you know, if someone is, you know, great at whatever it is that they

do but, you know, they're really difficult or create issues or problems. Just rub

people the wrong way, we don't, you know... It's just not going to... Just not going to, you

know, work here. So, I got to be able to hang out with you at barbecue. You

know, over the years, I think we've had to make some short-term sacrifices in order

to protect the culture and protect the values of the company in order for some

really awesome long-term games. And I think, you know, us sticking to

that and really protecting the culture and protecting our values has really

made it... Has really contributed to you know I think our success as a company

and organization. And also provided an amazing place for all of us to come to

work to every day. So, I just want to leave off with I thank you guys for

making our culture what it is. You guys have been a big part of it and it's

awesome to really to see it, you know, start from nothing to come where it is

today. I really encourage you to figure out how to get culture started in your

company. And just get started with it. Just do it. I recommended the book

before. I recommend it again. There's a book called Delivering Happiness.

Definitely read it if you want to know more about culture. It's really helped us

Delivering Happiness as being here in her office. They came and they have done

workshops with us. We scored a 98% I think on, you know, on employee happiness.

Which was amazing. So, it's really important, it's been a game changer. We

have a 100 here and everyone's happy to come to work every

day which is really amazing. So, get started on culture.